Sir Mo Farah admitted to running on empty after he suffered a shock first global championship loss in six years.

On the London track where he had never been beaten, in front of a raucous sell-out crowd, the home town hero used his last drop of stardust.

Ambushed by his opponents as never before, the 34-year-old still fought his way through to take the silver medal.

But this was a race too far for Farah and both he and his rivals recognised it.

“I knew I was going to beat Mo Farah,” boasted the new 5000m champion Muktar Edris, who celebrated with a Mobot celebration which smacked of disrespect. “After the 10k he didn’t have enough for the last kick. I was stronger. I am the next champion.”

A defeated Mo Farah (Image: Rex Features)

Mo Farah reacts (Image: AFP)

Farah, too exhausted to disagree, gasped: “I gave it my all, I didn’t have a single thing left to give at the end. I got boxed in and couldn’t get out.

“I thought it might be possible but my legs didn’t have it. I got boxed in which doesn’t normally happen. I got out but wasted a little energy. It was one of those races where you have to take it.

“One of them was going to sacrifice themselves. And they did that. The better man won on the day. The 10,000m took a lot more out me than I had realised.”

A gutted Mo Farah (Image: AFP)

An emotional Farah says farewell (Image: AFP)

They had come in their thousands fully expecting another Farah triumph in his final championship track race before he hangs up his spikes and moves into a new chapter of his career on the roads.

But, just as Usain Bolt had failed to sign off with the individual gold his fairy tale storyline demanded, so Farah stumbled at the last.

He at least went out on his shield, fighting as fiercely as he had to win the 10,000.

Farah retained his Worlds 10,000m crown but the effort caught up with him in the 5000m (Image: Sportsfile/Getty)

Only here did we see what toll that had taken on the champion.

From the moment American opponent Paul Chelimo performed a Mobot on the start line followed by a dismissive gesture, the tone was set.

One by one, the opposition attacked Farah, stretching the race and making him work so hard that he had no extra gear for the business end.

These have been the championships of the unexpected and this was the biggest upset of them all. Like the young sprinters with Usain Bolt, they had grown up with two certainties.

Night follows day and the rest of the world follows Farah.

Not on Saturday they didn’t.

The star did a lap of honour for the fans — including some fellow Arsenal supporters (Image: Getty)

“I’ve a few more races planned,” he said. “After that I want to take a break then see what I can do on the road. But in terms of my life, this chapter’s done. It’s closed. This is it. Track is done.”

One last time, Farah walked around the track where so many of his dreams reside - from his 2012 Olympic double to that wonderful 10k triumph eight days.

In time this memory will fade and the glory nights will come back into focus.